Olympias' uncle Arrybas, becomes an Athenian citizen

[system1988]

I think this is a rare inscritpion and that is why I decided to post it here for all those who are not aware of its existence.

In 343 the king of Epirus, Arybbas, chased from Philip II and was banished from Epirus kingdom. In his stead Alexander, brother of Olympias ruled after that, all this of course designed by Philip. Arybbas fled to Athens and requested sancturary. The Athenians judged the monarch (and winner of the Olympic Games) worthy of asylum in their city

You can find the inscription here

http://s1246.photobucket.com/user/IamSy ... t=3&page=1

and the translation is as following

Gods
Arybbas

Since the citizenship was given to both grandfather and father as well as other
relatives the other grants apply to him and his descendants and they are true:
(the city of Athens) must be taken care of Arrybas so no injusice is done upon him by the council
currently governing, as well as the generals and any other of the Athenians who may
be present anywhere. He will have access to the council and to the people whenever
he needs and the governing prytaneis will make sure that he get that access.
This agreement will be writen by the council's secretary one a stele made of stone
and placed on the Acropolis. For the inscribing of the stele the peoples' treasurer
will give 30 drachmas from the fund meant for cases with agreements.

Invite Arybbas to dine in the prytaneion tomorrow and also invite those who
came with him to the prytaneion for hospitality.

Attend to the other matter which Arrybas has spoken of.

To another matter and accordingly to the council; but if anyone kills Arybbas
violently or any of his sons they will face the same penalty as the other Athenians
have.

Also the generals who are currently governing will see to that Arybbas as well
as his sons take back their ancestral kindom.


Carved In an olive crown

Olympic games
with a chariot drawn by full-grown horses


Carved In a laurel crown

Pythian games
with a chariot drawn by full grow-horses

Carved In an olive crown

Oympic games

-------------


This inscription is one of the testaments for the awerenss of the Athenians in recognising Philip II as their potential enemy. To Arybbas great honors were bestowed even though the promise to him that he would take his kindom back was never kept. Maybe Arybbas was a rival to Philip during some of the Games but nevertheless, to win in thew Olympics ad the Pythian (Delphoi) games is no small matter. The stele itself was very taken care of and showed Arybbas' athletic conquests.

Philip must have made a mental note of the Athenians' choice in aiding Arybbas.


The translation is a crude attempt of mine.

Best regards to all!

[Alexias]

Any idea why the father and grandfather were granted Athenian citizenship? Arrybas was obviously an anti-Philip thing when he fled there in 342 BC when Philip put ALexander Olympias's brother on the throne, but were the father and grandfather an anti-Theban move against the Theban influence in Macedonia? But why citizenship unless they had fled to Athens for sanctuary?

[system1988]

Thank you very much for your comment.I think the event is connected to the alliance between Athens ( general Timotheos ) and the father of Arrybas, the king Alketas.The matter needs a much greater analysis- also i am not sure if it is an " asylum 'or 'citizenship. We will continue this when i return - Iam leaving for vacation to Kos and Leros island. Every one have a nice summer. Best wishes.

[agesilaos]

Here is a link to a slightly different translation http://www.atticinscriptions.com/inscri ... GII31/411/ it would seem that Arybbas is not being granted citizenship in this decree but that the citizenship granted to his father, Alketas or his grandfather Tharyps, which must have had a similar clause to this one that the grant was to be enjoyed by his posterity and it is here confirmed. The change of regime between the original grant and the present case would have necessitated the ratification. Tharyps seems to have began a hellenisation of Molosssian culture, but Alketas defended Timotheos in an Athenian Court along with Jason of Pherai, and since Timotheos was acquited we can perhaps assume that his supporters were in the ascendance and may have made the original grant out of gratitude with a retrospective clause for the father (Tharyps) and a prospective one for his descendants.

[Alexias]

Thank very much for that - it makes sense. Sorry, I didn't have time to do any research myself.